Curtiss P-36 Hawk
The P-36 is an American Tier IV Fighter Warplane. The Model 75 (AKA P-36) developed by the Curtiss company became one of the most successful fighters of the prewar period. Served in the air forces of the United States, Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, Norway, and China Predecessor: Curtiss Hawk 75M Sucessor: Curtiss P-40 Warhawk Statistics Hit Points - 120 *Weight - 2410 kg Firepower - 52 *7.62 mm M1919-A4 (S) - 1 *12.7 mm M2 (S) - 1 Airspeed - 240 *Top Speed at Sea Level - 404 km/h *Top Speed at Best Altitude - 475 km/h *Optimum Altitude - 2760 m *Maximum Dive Speed - 590 km/h *Stall Speed - 77 km/h *Rate of Climb - 15.1 m/s *Optimum Airspeed - 288 km/h Maneuverability - 205 *Average Time to Turn 360 deg - 15.7 sec *Rate of Roll - 130 deg/sec *Controllability - 89 Historical Info The Curtiss P-36 Hawk also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, was an American-designed and built fighter aircraft of the 1930s and 40s. A contemporary of both the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, it was one of the first of a new generation of combat aircraft—a sleek monoplane design making extensive use of metal in its construction and powered by a powerful radial engine. Obsolete at the onset of World War II and best known as the predecessor of the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, the P-36 saw only limited combat with the United States Army Air Forces. Player Opinion Pros *Great firepower with the 23mm cannons *Highest hitpoints of all the tier IV fighters *Great Speed Cons *Maneuverability suffers with upgraded guns *Starts with incredibly weak firepower as stock, with only a 7.62mm and 12.7mm gun Performance *This aircraft is painful to fly at first, as for some reason it does not start with the 4 wing mounted guns its predecesor possesed. Once fully upgraded however, the P-36 has the most powerful firepower of its tier, and exceptional firepower when compared to some of the tier VI and VIIs you'll come into contact with during matches. Use this to your advantage, fly into a battle and unleash a burst on an enemy plane, if your aim is on point then you can usually kill it with a few seconds of sustained fire as the 23mm cannons shred through aircraft. However, the maneuverability of this plane is sub-par. The base stat of 205 is decent for it's tier but this will decline to around 170-180 with the upgraded guns. Avoid a turning battle at all costs, the enemy plane will almost always out turn you, especially when facing higher tier fighters and even occasionally lower tier biplanes. This plane is best utilized when flying into an engagement, firing on an enemy, and then flying through. Use your allies to your advantage, i.e., prey upon enemy planes that are preoccupied with an ally. Fly in, clear your ally's tail, and move on to the next target. Suggested upgrade path *Before researching anything else, get your wing mounted 7.62mm guns. While this does slightly decrease your speed and maneuverability, your starter guns are completely inadequate for tier IV combat without the added firepower. You need to research these anyways to move onto the P-40, so it's no loss. *Next, the airfame. The combination of hitpoints, maneuverability and speed increase make you much more competitive *Since most fighters will out turn you by now, and you're often out gunned, the engines are the next best bet. *Finish by researching the cannons and the 12.7mm. Playstyle The P-36 kitted out with the heavy cannons and the twin 12.7mm will murder ground attack craft and heavy fighters, but will be comparatively sluggish when facing other fighters unless you take them down with your first salvo. Alternatively, if you want a more maneuverable dogfighter, consider sticking with the wing mounted 4x 7.62mm, and staying with the 7.62mm cowl machine gun. You will still be out turned by most competent dogfighters, but some don't like the less maneuverable playstyle of a cannon P-36, and the aircraft is still very competetive with this armament. Category:Tier IV Category:USA Category:Fighters